


Sand and Snow

by StarksInTheNorth



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Political Alliances
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-12
Updated: 2020-03-12
Packaged: 2021-02-28 16:59:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23120614
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarksInTheNorth/pseuds/StarksInTheNorth
Summary: Jon goes to comfort Elia Sand after the Small Council discusses highborn marriages for the Targaryen Prince.
Relationships: Elia Sand/Jon Snow
Comments: 8
Kudos: 23





	Sand and Snow

**Author's Note:**

> based on the prompt: “Don’t shut me out.” Jon Snow/Elia Sand
> 
> Briefly read this as a JS/Elia Martell-Targaryen au and was about to squick the heck out of town. But Jon and Elia Sand I can get behind.

Jon finds Elia in the tiltyard, driving her horse down the lane and guiding her lance through dangling hoops. When he leans against the barrier to watch her in all her glory, Lady Lance does not even deign to glance over in acknowledgement that he is there.

And why should she? He’s the one who mucked things up, who suggested a marriage alliance for Queen Daenerys that inevitably led to discussion of who her heir would settle down with to repopulate their house. When Lord Varys sniffed in that way of his and proclaimed, “A maiden of highest birth must be found to bear the Prince’s children and remove the taint of bastardy from his line,” Elia Sand had stormed from the council chamber and disappeared from the Red Keep.

“Have you come to tilt, my prince?” Elia rears her horse up besides him and pulls at the reigns. Her lips are pursed in a thin line as she looks down at him. “I can get out of the way so that you and your _highest birth_ can use the yard.”

“Don’t shut me out, El.” Jon pushes away from the wall. He had mighty speeches planned to woo her back into his arms, but none of that is worth it when she speaks to him with such hateful haughtiness. “Please.”

“Why should I care for your feelings when you care so little for mine?” Sensing her unease, the horse digs at the ground. Elia swings out of her saddle with a dancer’s grace and stares darkly at him.

“How was I to know that the council would veer to my own marriage?”

“You’re a prince in politics. You should have known, or at least suspected.” The hurt comes through her voice now, but disappears with a shake of her head and a strained laugh. “So, what maid have they decided is high enough to be a broodmare for the next generation of Targaryens?”

"No one. I'm still promised to myself alone." Jon grabs for her hand but she pulls back quickly.

"Of course. These decisions take time. But there must have been talk." Elia cradles her chin between finger and thumb. "There's Lady Sansa and Lady Margaery, both soiled by other husbands but from fecund stock. Or perhaps a younger lady, to marry when she comes of age. Lord Tully's daughter, or perhaps Lord Arryn's?"

She paces away from him, tapping her finger on her cheek. "I've seen you smiling at Lord Bracken's eldest, and she's a pretty thing. Was it Lady Shireen you danced with at the last ball, or her legitimized cousin Lady Bella? She still has the _taint_ of bastardy but she has the support of her half-brother and the blood of a King in her veins."

"Elia, let me speak!" Jon finally shouts, done with her childish outburst. "There was no talk of brides for me. Daenerys wouldn't hear of it."

She pivots to stare at him, tears flying off her face like falling diamonds. "Then why did it take so long for you to find me? What kept you so long at that meeting, if not preparations for your own wedding?"

His face softens. So that's what this is about. "Oh, my sweet."

Jon closes the gap between them and sets his hands on her shoulders. She looks away, but he guides her face back to his with a practiced hand. "I was sending a raven."

"A proposal, you mean."

"Of sorts." He smiles crookedly. "To your cousin."

"My - but Arianne's a Princess Paramount. Why would she want to marry you?" Her brow creases and he can see the thoughts running behind her eyes.

"I asked her to legitimize you. And your sisters." Jon licks his lips, afraid he's gone too far. "Daenerys knows I'll have no one but you. And Dorne has been a faithful friend of the crown for many years. She agrees, it's only right that the next Queen Consort right the wrongs done to the last Elia Martell."

The tears that have disappeared from her eyes come again as his Elia throws her arms around Jon and kisses him. Time cannot make up for mistakes done, but it can at least stop them from happening again.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think, then come hangout on [tumblr](https://www.starksinthenorth.tumblr.com) to talk about Jonsa, Jonerys, Daensa, OT3, ASOIAF, and GOT. I also take prompts in my [ask box](https://www.starksinthenorth.tumblr.com/ask/).


End file.
